Day Travelcard: London scheme saved after TfL, government and Rail Delivery Group deal

A deal has been struck to save the Day Travelcard in London.

A source close to the mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has confirmed an agreement has been reached between the government, Transport for London (TfL) and Rail Delivery group (RDG) to retain the scheme.

The Day Travelcard, under which customers can journey into London and use all of TfL’s services by purchasing a single card, was under consultation earlier this year due to funding pressures.

TfL was seeking to generate a further £0.5-£1 billion a year in revenue, as required by government funding agreed during Covid.

Concerns relating to the impact on groups including the elderly and those with disabilities were raised during the consultation process. However, Mr Khan signed a decision notice in July giving the scheme six months unless alternative funding is found.

Multiple councils surrounding the capital had publicly opposed the potential removal of the Day Travelcard, including Surrey County Council, which this month passed a motion demanding the mayor retain the scheme.

Now, it has been confirmed the Day Travelcard has been saved.

A source close to Mr Khan said: “Agreement has now been reached by all sides to keep the Day Travelcard. There’s been a lot of back and forth between TfL, Rail Delivery Group and government in recent weeks and a good compromise has been found. 

“TfL were effectively £40m out of pocket every year, funding passengers outside London at a time when their budgets remain under huge pressure. The agreement provides a fairer deal for TfL and Londoners.”

Rail minister Huw Merriman said: “The Travelcard is an invaluable way of encouraging commuters and visitors to travel into London, hugely boosting the economy in the process – I’m pleased that following a government intervention, working with TfL and the train operators, we were able to save it.”

“Alongside the more than £6 billion we have already given to TfL over the past three years, this is just another way the government is helping Londoners, its millions of visitors and all those who commute into our capital get around for less.”

Paul Bowden, commercial director at RDG, said: “I think it is a great outcome for customers that we’re able to keep this popular ticket, which offers customers complete travel flexibility in London. There has been a huge amount of work behind the scenes, with the industry working together with a firm focus on customers’ interests.”

A Transport for All spokesperson said: "The TfL Travelcard is highly valued by many disabled passengers, and we are pleased to hear that it will not scrapped. Over the past year, we’ve had several people express concern that travelling in London will become inaccessible if the Travelcard scheme is withdrawn. Tapping in and out can be stressful and confusing, resulting in passengers being overcharged for their journeys, and having to deal with the laborious complaints process. Disabled people are already financially disadvantaged. But especially during the cost-of-living crisis, we cannot afford to be hit with even more travel expenses. 

"The London Underground alone handles more than 5 million passenger journeys a day – it is vital that every one of these passengers can pay in a way that suits them, and that no one is overcharged because of their access needs."